Vegetable peeler



Feb. ll, 1941. M. G. MccLuNG ETAL VEGETABLE PEELER Filed Nov. 22, 1938 2 SheetSd-Shet 1 Zou j.

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VEGETABLE PEELER Filed Nov. 22, 193e 2 sheets-sheet 2 W1 fmyf E@ @blason fum/mu; 1

Patented Peau, 1941 2,231,543

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VEGETABLE PEELER Murry G. McClung and George Roy Johnson, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application November 22, 1938, Serial No. 241,774

3 claims. (ci. 14s-49) This invention relates to a machine for reintegration to any appreciable extent either while moving the skin or peel of vegetables and fruits, standing or during operation of the machine. and more particularly pertains to a construction With the foregoing objects in view, together and arrangement of abrasive surfaces to the acwith such other objects and advantages as may tion of which the articles to be peeled are subsubsequently appear, the invention is carried into 5 jected by causing the articles to vbe tumbled and effect as illustrated by way of example in the revolved in contact with the abrasive surfaces. accompanying drawings, in which: An object of the invention is to provide a Fig. 1 is a horizontal section and plan view machine of the above character embodying a of the machine; cylindrical container fitted with a, revolving bot- Fig. 2 is a. view in vertical section taken on l0 tom wall in which said bottom wall and the the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 with parts in elevation inner periphery ofthe cylindrical Walls of the showing the closure in its closed position;

container are surfaced with an abrasive compo- Fig. 3 is a detail in section as seen on the line sition of a character which is highly effective in 3-3 of Fig. 1; its abrasive action on'fruits and vegetables tum- Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section taken on 15 bled and scraped thereagainst, and which abrathe line 4 4 of Fig. 2, with the closure in its sive is initially in the form of a plastic and capaopen position;

ble of being readily applied to the walls of the Fig. 5 is a. vertical section taken on the line container and to the revoluble bottom thereof 5-5 of Fig. 4 depicting the discharge opening both in initial construction of the machine and closure in its open position and showing the man- 20 in effecting repairs thereof. ner of sealing the hinged joint thereof;

Another object is to provide a construction Fig. 6 is a, view of the machine as seen in front whereby the upper face of the bottom wall may elevation with the closure closed; be readily equipped with deilecting ribs so formed Fig. 'I is a detail in section taken on the line and arranged that during operation of the ma- I-'I of Fig. 6; and 25 chine the contents of the container will be tum- Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail plan view as seen bled, deflected, and turned over, in such fashion in the direction indicated by the arrow 8 in Fig. 2. that all portions of the surfaces thereof will be Referring to the drawings more specically, A brought rapidly 'in and out of contact with the indicates generally the peeling machine housing abrasive surfaces of the machine so as to effect which embodies a cylindrical side wall 9 and an 30 rapid and thorough removal of the skins or peel inclined bottom wall Il), which housing is carried of the articles being Worked, and in which the on a hollow base II. The housing A is open at deectors are so formed and arranged as to its upper end and is adapted to receive a loose protrude from the Working abrasive surfaces in cover B which is provided with a marginal ilange such fashion as not to subject the articles being I2 adapted to seat on the upper end of the cylin- 35 worked to excessive impacts or eifect excessive drical side wall 9 and which cover has a downabrasive or mutilating action on such articles. wardly inclined central portion I3 leading to an Another object is to provide a fruit and vegopening I4; the cover B serving as a hopper etable peeler embodying a housing having a side through which articles to be peeled may be di- Wall discharge opening fitted with a closure rected into the housing. 40

which is so constructed that when in its open The lower portion of the bottom wall I Il conposition it will constitute a discharge chute so nects with a discharge pipe I5 through which as to facilitate emptying the housing of its conwashing liquid is discharged.

y tents and directing such contents into a. re- Mounted on the base II is a standard I6 which ceptacle. projects upwardly through the bottom wall I0 45A Another object is to provide a construction and in which is revolubly mounted a vertically in the closure whereby a seal is afforded for a extending shaft I1 which seats on roller bearhinged joint thereof such as to prevent clogging ings I8 carried in the standard I6. The shaft of such joint when the closure is open and con- II has its lower end portion extending through tents of the housing are being ejected therefrom. the top wall of the base II and fitted with a 50 Another object is to provide an abrasive compulley I9 for engagement with a driving belt 20 position for vegetable and fruit peeling machine whereby the shaft Il may be driven from any which is highly durable and eicent, which is suitable source of power such as a motor C insoluble in Water and practically acid proof, carried on the base II. The upper end portion and which is not subject to deterioration or disof the shaft I1 projects above the standard I6 55 and is detachably engaged with the under side of a rotary table D.

The rotating table D embodies a circular pan 2i affixed to the shaft I1 and which pan carries an abrasive body 22 composed of a substance that is plastic when heated and is solid at atmospheric temperature and which material is reinforced by a wire screen 23 embedded therein. The upper surface ofthe abrasive body 22 is substantially at throughout and extends on a plane with the margin of the rim of the pan 2| except as to radial portions thereof as will be presently described.

As a means for effecting tumbling of articles carried on the table D during rotation thereof the table is fitted with a pair of ribs 24 which protrude slightly above a portion of the upper surface of the abrasive 22 and which ribs are of equal width throughout their lengths and are rounded upwardly across their tops. The ribs 24 are here shown as smooth throughout the exposed surface thereof but in some instances it may be desirable to extend a. coating of the abrasive material 22 thereover.

As here shown in Fig. 3, the ribs 24 are formed integral with the bottom of the pan 2l and are arranged in offset relation to each other on opposite sides of a line extending diametrically of the pan and with the exposed curved faces thereof presented toward the direction of rotation of the table D. The surface of the abrasive body 22 is sloped or inclined from the upper rear margins of the ribs 24 to the level of the fiat portion of the body as indicated at 25.

The cylindrical side wall 9 of the housing A is lined throughout on its inner periphery with an abrasive material 26 of the character employed on the rotating table D and which material is reinforced by a Wire netting 21 overlying the inner periphery of the wall 9.

In order to facilitate the discharge of articles from the housing A the side wall 9 thereof is formed with a discharge opening 28 fitted with a closure E comprising a pair of doors 29 and 30 curved to conform with the cylindrical contour of the housing wall 9 and carried on hinges 3i and 32 respectively to swing outwardly and horizontally relative to the housing side wall. The inner faces of the doors 29 and 30 are formed with an abrasive coating 33 corresponding to and extending in continuation with the abrasive coating 26 on the wall 9 when the closure E is closed. The closure E is arranged to extend adjacent the lower inclined portion of the bottom wall I0 and to extend below the plane of the underside of the rotary table D, and mounted on the inner lower marginal portions of the doors 29 and 30 are panels 34 and 35 formed to swing in and out of the opening 28 on swinging the doors, and which panels are disposed immediately below the underside of the table D when the doors are in their closed position, and are adapted to project from the lower marginal portion of the table D outwardly through the opening 28 when the doors are disposed in their open position as shown in Fig. 4, whereby the panels 34 and 35 and doors 29 and 30 collectively serve as a chute to direct the contents of the housing A into a suitable receptacle either on tilting the housing to discharge its contents through the opening 28 or under the action of the rotating table D or both.

The abrasive material employed in coating the tabl D, wall 9 and closure E preferably comprises a composition consisting of a mixture of three parts of hard sharp abrasive in comminuted form and one part of Portland cement thoroughly intermixed, to three parts of which mixture is -added one part of tar or asphalt which constitutes a', binder which is impervious to water and is insoluble therein. Mixture of the ingredients is effected by heating the tar or asphalt to a melting temperature and then intermixing the abrasive and cement therewith. The resultant mixture while warm is in a plastic state and may be readily applied to the wire covered surfaces of the machine and smoothed to afford the requisite abrasive surface. The composition when cold or at atmospheric temperature is quite hard and suiciently abrasive in character as to effect the desired abrasive action upon fruits and vegetables.

In order to insure a thorough bond between the plastic abrasive and the bottom wall of revoluble pan 2l, such wall is formed with a series of closely arranged perforations a the margins of which flare outwardly and downwardly, so that on applying the plastic abrasive to the pan under sumcient pressure portions of the plastic will be forced into the perforations to fill the latter and thereby form keys b when the plastic hardens that will act to securely anchor the plastic in place.

The doors 29 and 30 are mounted on a rectangular frame F which borders the opening 28 and on which the stationary leaves of the hinges 3l and 32 are formed, and carried by the side members of the frame F are stops 36 and 3l arranged to limit opening movement of the doors 29 and 30 so that the doors will extend substan-v tially parallel with each other when in their open position as particularly shown in Fig. 4.

In the arrangement here shown the door 29 is disposed on the side of the opening 28 presented toward the direction of travel of the margin of the table D on rotation of the latter, 'whereby on opening the doors to a position in which they extend in substantially parallel relation to each other the contents of the housing on' being ejected through the opening 28 by the action of the rotating table D will in part be directed against the inner side of the door 29.

In order to prevent the materials being ejected through the opening 28 from becoming lodged in the Joint between the door 29 and the side margin of the opening 28, the inner edge of the door is formed with a ange 38 which extends inwardly so as to overlie the inner face of the side margin-of the opening 28 when the door 29 is closed, as shown in Fig. 1, and to project across the margin of the opening and cover the joint between the door and margin of the opening 29 when the door is open, as shown in Fig. 4.

In order to prevent the materials being discharged from the housing from entering the gap between the overlying panels 34 and 35 carried on the doors, the panel 35 on the door 30 is arranged to overlie the panel 34 on the door 29 so that the gap between the panels will open in the general direction of travel of the table D whereby materials passing through the opening 28 in the direction of the door 29 will flow over the uppermost panel 35 and be directed in part onto the lower panel 34.

Means are provided for securely fastening the doors 29 and 30 in their closed position which means is here shown as embodying a rocker arm 39 which is pivoted intermediate its ends on a pin 40 carried by the door 29 adjacent the free end thereof, and which rocker arm is engageable at its ends with a pair of oppositely extending lugs 4| and 42 formed on the upper and lower rails of the door frame F; the lever arm being tted adjacent one end thereof with a handle 43 by which it may be readily swung in and out of engagement with the lugs 4I and 42. The free end of the door 29 is formed with a marginal flange 44 arranged to overlie the adjacent edge of the door 30 when rthe doors are in their closed position as shown in Fig. 1.

As a means for directing wash water into the housing A during operation of the machine and to effect flushing thereof, a water inlet pipe 45 is mounted to extend into the upper portion of the housing through the upper member of the frame F; the inner end of the pipe 45 constituting a nozzle which is arranged to direct water discharged therefrom against the underside of the inclined wall I 3 of the cover B such that the latter will act as a deflector and serve to break up and distribute the stream entering the housing.

In order to prevent clogging of the gap extending between the outer periphery of table D and the inner periphery of the housing side wall 9, as might be occasioned by accumulation or wedging of particles of materials being worked `in such gap, the rim of the table is fitted with a plow 46 which extends into the gap as particularly shown in Fig. 8. The plow 46 is here shown as formed on the end of the rib 24 in continuation thereof and as having an inclined face which projects downwardly along the outer face of the rim of the pan 2| as shown in Fig. 2, so that on rotation of the table the plow will act to dislodge pieces tending to wedge between the table and the housing.

In the operation of the invention the articles to be peeled are placed in the housing A and the table D set in motion with the articles imposed thereon. As the table revolves it will move relative to the articles disposed thereon such as to effect abrasion of the peelings thereof. The straight rib 24 will advance under the mass of articles supported on the table and will effect a turning action thereon so as to present changing surfaces to the abrasive action of the table.

' At the same time portions of the articles will be carried outwardly under the urge of centrifugal force and thereby be caused to ride over the abrasive on the vinner wall surface of the walls of the housing and the doors. The ribs 24 thus serve to maintain-the articles being worked in a state of agitation under the urge of the revolving table D whereby excessive wearing away of the fruit or vegetables being peeled may be avoided. During the abrasive action a spray of water is delivered to the interior ofthe housing through the pipe 45 whereby the parings are washed from the articles and from the abrasive surfaces and delivered to discharge through the pipe I5 in the inclined bottoxn'wall i5 of the housing.

On completing the abrasive action on the materials being peeled the closure E is opened while the `table D is revolving so that the latter will act to eject the contents of the housing outwardly through the opening 28 and onto the trough formed by the panels 34 and 35. Discharge of the contents oi the housing may thus be eected by the action of the rotary table but in some instances removal of the contents of the housing may be effected by tilting the latter with the opening 28 and opened door` 29-39 extended downwardly so that the contents of the housing will pass to discharge through the opening.

By providing the housing with the side wall opening 28 the rotary table D is rendered readily accessible to permit its removal and replacement which may be readily effected by reason of its screw threaded engagement with the Vshaft il which threaded connection is oppositethat of the direction of rotation of the table D so as to tend to tighten the screw on driving the shaft Il in its forward direction.

An important feature o'f the invention resides in forming the rotating table D with the straight ribs 24 having an upwardly curved smooth portion presented to the direction of advance of the ribs, that is on the leading edge thereof. together with the relatively long downwardly inclined face 25 of the abrasive leading from the trailing edge of the rib, since by this construction, the articles being peeled, on being' impacted by the advancing ribs will be caused to roll upwardly over the ribs and then pass onto the abrasive surface with a rolling motion and without being thrown and caused to strike the abrasive surface of the table with an excessive impact, thus minimizing formation of fiat surfaces on the peeled articles.

Another important feature is the formation of the abrasive inner surface of the housing side wall free of protuberance other than that afforded by the slight roughness of the abrasive, so as to minimize tumbling of the articles as they are advanced along the side Wall of the housing against the abrasive surface thereof.

While we have shown and described a specific embodiment of our invention we do not limit ourselves to the exact details of construction and arrangement shown but may make such changes in the parts and in their arrangement as occasion may require coming within the meaning and scope ofthe appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a vegetable peeler, a vertically extending cylindrical housing,a circular horizontal rotary abrasive table in said housing having its margins spaced from the inner periphery of said housing, a rib protruding from the upper surface of said table leading outwardly from the center to the margin thereof, and a plow formed on the outer end of said rib projecting beyond the margin of said table and protruding downwardly into the space between the margin of the table and the inner periphery of the housing.

2. In a vegetable peeler, a vertically extending cylindrical housing, a horizontal rotary abrasive table in said housing, a rib protruding from the upper surface of said table leading outwardly from the center to the margin thereof, and a plow formed on the outer end of said rib projecting beyond the margin of said table, said rib being' formed with a rounded upper surface one marginal portion of which projects abruptly from said table and the other marginal portion of which is covered by lan inclined abrasive body leading to the top of said table. c

3. A rotary abrasive table comprising a pan formed with a rib extending radially thereof and projecting above the plane of the rim of the pan,

said rib being rounded on one side thereof, and 

